You don’t have to turn your whole world around, cut corners or look cheap to save money. You can still get great quality items you just have to make sure you are paying the lowest price for it. Here are some easy tips to keep in mind to help you stay frugal.

Always check the circulars. If you don’t receive them by mail you can find most are available online or even have smartphone Apps.

Plan your meals and your shopping list based on what’s on sale in the circulars.

Always make a list before you head to the store and try your best to stick to the items on your list.

Set a budget and stick to it as best as you can.

Prioritize your purchases so that if you happen to go over your budget you know what items can put back and wait to purchase at another time.

If you get to the register and find that you over spent do not be embarrassed to put items back.

Be willing to try new brands and when they are on sale is a great time to try.

Sign up for store reward cards.

Coupons are your friends. Yes they are a pain to clip, organize and carry around but it’s money back in your pocket, even if it’s just $.50.

Where to find coupons: Through the mail (Valpaks, Smart Source, Money Mailer or in the circulars), Sunday paper, online (Cellfire.com and Coupons.com) and with your receipts from when you check out at the grocery store. I like those the best because they know what typical items you are buying, plus no clipping!

Utilize your phone smartphone. Although this technology is fairly new, try apps for the stores you frequent.

Save all of your store loyalty cards into your smartphone with an app like CardMobili. When you save your online coupons to your loyalty card you are able to take advantage of the sales, card advantages and coupons!

When a sale item is in high demand try to make it to the store as early in the week as possible.

If you find that you’ve missed out on a sale item ask for a raincheck, if available, and get it at the sale price when it’s back in stock.

Keep your eyes out for clearance items. They are typically found on the end caps of the aisles. Clearance items are also mixed into regular items so keep your eyes peeled.

Try to shop earlier in the week. I find that it’s when they do their clearance markdowns so make sure you don’t miss out.

Know when to hold out on clearance items. It is important to look at the percentage off and the quantity at the store. If an item is 30% off and there is a large selection, it might be a good idea to wait a week to see if the percentage off goes up.

Don’t buy something just because it’s on sale or extra cheap if you don’t need it.

When stocking up on sale items always make sure to check the expiration date.

Make sure you know which store your staple items, such as eggs and bread, are priced the lowest for when it’s not on sale.

Not all items listed in the circulars are on sale and not all sale items are listed in the circulars so make sure to look at all the brands.

For produce make sure to check out our local produce market such as Produce Junction or R and R Produce. Their everyday prices are much better than most of the chain supermarkets.

Do not waste. Always know what’s in your pantry and fridge so you are not over buying.

Take advantage of all the freebies and giveaways available online from bloggers.

Always check your receipt as you are leaving the store. This way if you find that you’ve been overcharged you can go straight to customer service.

Do your research online to find the best prices when shopping for a particular item.

When ordering an item online make sure to search for an online promo code before checking out. You can just Google the site/store name and the phrases “promo code” “coupon code” or “free shipping code”.